Mechanical walking toy.



AVAILABLE COPY E. F. HESS.

MECHANICAL WALKING T 0Y.

APPLICATION FILED 050.4, 1916.

1,261,528. v PatentedAp1-'.2,1918.

WITNESSES ATTORN EY EARL F. HESS, 0F JAMISON CITY, PENNSYLVANIA.

MECHANICAL WALKING TOY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 2, 1918.

Application filed December 4, 1916. Serial No. 135,017.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EARL F. Hess, a citizen of the United States, residing at J amison City, in the county of Columbia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanical Walking Toys, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to automatic toys and more particularly to that type of automatic toy such as walking dolls, animals, or the like.

The main object of the invention is the provision of automatic toys of the above character which possess a simple construction and are inexpensive to manufacture and whose actuating parts are so arranged as to produce an effective operation of the to The invention resides in novel features of construction and combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described and finally pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings which illustrate the 1nvention:

Figure 1 is a side view of the toy the parts I broken away to illustrate the arrangement of the actuating mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a front view of the invention a portion of the casing broken away to illustrate the actuating mechanism, and

- Fig. 3 is a detail view of a roller.

Like characters denote similar and like parts throughout the specification and drawings The automatic toy according to this 1nvention is illustrated in the drawings as .partaking the-configuration of a bear, however, it is to be understood that the body of the toy may be of any other deslred configuration. The toy may be made of metal or any desirable material and 1 indicates a body of the toy having a head 2 pivoted to the body at back or rear portions thereof as indicated at 3. Within the hollow body 1 is vertically disposed a frame 4 preferably secured and resting upon the bottom or lower portion 5 of the body. This frame 4 is designed to support a motor 6 and provide bearings for other operating parts hereinafter referred to. Arms or front legs 7, as the case may be, are pivotally secured to the body adjacent the head by the rods 8. One end of each rod 8 is rotatably mounted on the upper portion of the frame 4 and is extended outwardly through the body 1 and through the arm 7 where said extended end is secured to the latter. An intermediate portion of the rods 8 is bent or otherwise suitably formed to provide cranks 9. Legs 10 are secured and are so formed so as to be applied and neatly conform to the lower or rear portion of the body 1. These legs 10 are held in position with respect to the body by the rods 11 which have one end pivotally connected to the body as at 12 and the other end pivotally connected to the leg at its foot portion as indicated at 13, the foot portion of each leg 10 having journaled, at its heel and toe portion, a roller 14. One of these rollers is provided with a serration of ratchet teeth 15 which are designed to engage with a pawl 16. This pawl and ratchet arrangement is designed to prevent one leg 10 from moving rearwardly while the other leg is being advanced by the actuating mechanism later referred to, it being understood that the rollers 14 engage the floor or ground.

The motor 6 is disposed on a shaft 16 rotatably 'journaled in the frame and may be of any desired type, however, for the purposes of illustration, is shown as consisting of a coil spring having its inner end secured to the shaft 16 and its outer end secured to an arm 17 rigidly carried by the frame 4.

A gear wheel 18 is also rigidly carried on the shaft 16 and meshes with a suitable speed increasing gearing consisting of the pinion 19 and a gear 20 mounted on the shaft 21,

supported in the frame 4, the gear 20 in,

turn meshing with the pinion 22 rigid on the crank shaft 23, which is also rotatably journaled in the frame 4. The opposite ends of the crank shaft 23 rigidly carry the cranks 24. Each crank 24 is connected with the corresponding and overlying crank 9 of the rods 8 by a link or connecting rod 25. A rod 26 is also connected with one of the cranks 9 and is pivotally connected to the head 2 at a forward point as at 27. It will thus be seen that as the motor operates the gear above referred to the crank 24 will operate the cranks 9 and thereby effect an up and down or oscillating movement of the arms 8 and that the head 2 will also be rocked upon the pivot 3 through-the medium of the rod 26. The cranks 24 on the opposite ends of the shaft 23 are so arranged that when one of the arms 8 is moved downwardly the other arm will be moved upwardly and thereby effect an alternating up and down motion of the arms. Each of the legs 10 of the toy are to be so actuated as to be moved forward in advance of the other alternately to efiect a walking movement. This movement of the legs is produced by the rods 28, one for each leg, having one end pivotally mounted in the frame 4 and the other end eX- tended through the casing and directed downwardly to a point adjacent the foot portion of the leg, where it is secured as indicated at 29. Each rod 28 is provided at an intermediate portion with a crank 30 which is connected to the overlying crank 24 by the link 31.

It will thus be further seen that as the shaft 23 rotates the cranks 2% will actuate the cranks 30 in such a manner as will tend to effect an oscillation of each leg 10 in opposite directions, although, in View of the pawl and ratchet arrangement 15 and 16, one of the legs 10 will be held against backward movement as the other leg is being brought forward by the operation of its respective crank 30; and that the operation of the other crank 30, which would effect a backward movement of the leg being held against such movement, does instead, in view of said ratchet means, produce a forward movement of the body 1 relative to said last mentioned leg asthe opposite leg 10 is brought forward. It is in view of the steady alternative advancement of each leg 10 and the forward movement of the body 1, caused in the manner just described, that an even balancing of the toy is produced and which effects an efficient walking operation thereof.

For the purpose of rewinding the motor 10 after the same has become unwound, the shaft 16 is provided with a my engaging end 32 and the toy l is formed with a suitable opening'83 which permits the insertion of a suitable winding key.

The foregoing clearly sets forth my in vention, however, it is to be understood that certain changesfin the construction and combination of parts may be resorted to as fall within the legitimate scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is 1. .A mechanical toy of the class described comprising, a body portion, legs pivoted to the body portion, and means for effecting an alternative advancement of said legs with respect to said body portion and for effecting a forward movement of the body portlon 'synchronically withthe advancement of each 2. A mechanical toy of the class described comprising, a body portion, a head pivoted to said body portion, arms or legs pivoted to the body portion adjacent said head, support ing legs pivoted to the other end of the body portion, actuating means for effecting an alternative advancement of said legs with respect to said body portion and for effecting a forward movement of the body p0rtion synchronically with the advancement of each supporting leg, when the toy is in an operative position on the ground, a radius rod connected between thebody and the lower end of each leg for determining the relative movement therebetween, and means for connecting the head, arms and legs with the actuating means, said means including connecting and coupling rods directly connected with cranks, certain of the connecting rods having one of their ends connected adjacent the lower end of each leg, said head and arms being connected for movement simultaneous with the leg movement. 7 r

3. A. mechanical toy of the class described comprising a body portion, supporting legs pivoted to said body'portion, means for preventing the backward movement of said legs, wnen the toy is placed in operative position on the ground, and means for alternativcly advancing said legs with respect to the body and for efiecting the forward movement of the body portion synchronically with the forward movement of said legs, when the toy is on the ground, said means including a connecting rod having one end connected with the lower end of a leg.

at. A mechanical toy of the class described comprising, a body portion, supporting legs pivoted to the body, means for oscillating said legs in opposite directions to produce a forward progressive movement, means for preventing the backward movement of said legs with respect to the body whenthe toy is placed upon the groundin an operative positlon, said first means lncludlng connectlng rods havlng their lower ends connected to the lower ends of'the legs and their upperpivoted to the body portion, ground engag- I ing rollers j ournaled'in the free endsof said legs, automatic means for oscillating said legs in opposite directions, means for preventing said rollers from rotating rearwardly while permitting the same to rotate forwardly to prevent backward movement as, the body is caused to move forwardly by. the operation of said actuating means, said. means including connecting rods directly connected to the free ends of the legs for positively oscillating them, and a radius rod in each leg to determine the path of travel of the leg.

6. A mechanical toy of the class described comprising, a body portion, a pair of supporting legs pivoted to said body portion, automatic actuating means disposed in said body portion and adapted to cause said legs to oscillate in an opposite direction, said means comprising connecting rods having their lower ends connected to the lower end of the legs, ground engaging rollers pivoted at the free ends of said legs, and locking means for preventing said rollers from rotating rearwardly, substantially as for the purposes set forth.

7 A mechanical toy of the class described comprising, a body portion, a pair of supporting legs pivoted to said body portion, a pair of arms pivoted to said body portion, a frame vertically disposed in said body portion, a motor supported in said frame, a crank shaft journaled in said frame and geared to said motor, links and cranked rods for connecting said crank shaft with the lower ends of said supporting legs whereby said legs are oscillated in opposite directions, and links connecting said crank shaft with said arms whereby said arms are oscillated simultaneously with said legs.

8. A mechanical walking toy of the class described comprising a body portion, supporting legs pivoted to said body portion, a

head pivoted to said body portion, a frame vertically disposed in said body portion, a motor supported on the frame, a crank shaft journaled in said body and geared to said motor, links and cranked rods for connecting said crank shaft with the lower ends of said supporting legs whereby said legs are oscillated in opposite directions, and links oscillate, and upon such movement the head is moved and the arms oscillated, means to prevent a backward movement of the toy, said actuating means including a plurality of crank shafts, a cranked connecting rod for each leg and having its lower end attached adjacent the lower end of the leg, the cranked portion-s being connected by means of coupling rods with the crank shafts, and a radius rod to limit the oscillating movement of the legs relative to the body.

10. A mechanical walking toy, which comprises a body having pivotally mounted arms and legs, and a hingedly connected head, actuating means within the body, said means including a shaft having cranks at its end, and connecting and coupling rods, said connecting rods forming the pivotal mounting for the legs and arms, and comprising cranks, the le rods being connected at the lower ends of the legs, said coupling rods connecting the connecting rod cranks with the crank shaft, means for preventing backward movement of the toy, and means for limiting the oscillation of the legs.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EARL F. HESS.

Witnesses:

EDWIN W. CARPENTER, H. B. I-Inss.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

